The Carroll County Commissioners have decided to work with, rather than against, the Indiana Department of Transportation to design an intersection in the Hoosier Heartland to promote economic development in the county.

"This is the time we have to be talking to the state about the new road," commissioners' president Bill Brown said at the Monday morning meeting.

The commissioners hired the Troyer Group to provide a feasibility study for a connector road from SR75 to the new highway. The $44,000 study will address transportation costs, and the environmental and economic impact to Carroll County.

County highway supervisor Ramzi Awwad said a formal study was needed to pursue an 80/20 federal grant. To meet the INDOT funding deadline of July 31, the study must be completed in approximately 50 days.

One option presented by Troyer Group representative Mario Parasel was to extend SR75 in a straight line to SR25, which would mean building a new road.

"For us, that's pretty ambitious," Brown said.

The other two options discussed briefly included using portions of existing roads, but bringing them up to highway standards.

Carroll County Chamber of Commerce representative Dick Bradshaw urged the commissioners to act.

"The iron is hot, let's do this," he said. "We are very much in favor of this project."

"It's up to us to build Carroll County," Brown said. "It's not up to INDOT to build Carroll County. I am totally in support of doing this study."

"But, just because we spend $44,000 on this, that doesn't mean that INDOT will accept the plan," he warned.

"The cost seems high, but what will the cost be if we don't do this?" asked commissioner Loren Hylton.

The funding for the study was unanimously approved and will come from Economic Development Income Tax, a fund managed solely by commissioners. Carroll Manor renovation

Carroll Manor renovation project experienced a pause, or a "bump in the road," when PSMIinc. grant coordinator Lester "Spike" Shepler announced that his certification expired and he was unable to obtain new certification at this time.

According to county attorney Barry Emerson, the PSMIinc. contract stipulates they will provide a certified grant coordinator. Shepler said he made arrangements with an associate to fill that requirement.

However, concerns were raised by county auditor Beth Myers, Hylton and Carroll Manor Administrator Martha Lewis about PMSI's past performance with the project.

According to Myers, the first two grant proposals were not scored due to a delay in the submission of paperwork from the planning grant that PMSI coordinated.

"Things haven't been completed in the past," Hylton said. "That doesn't sit well with me."

"I'm not going to deny that the closeout of the planning grant was slow," Shepler said. "I'm asking you guys to stay the course with me. I've put a lot of work into this."

Lewis and Myers advocated for someone outside of PMSI to be involved as grant coordinator.

Tina Henderson of Mendenhall and Associates LLC, who was the grant coordinator for the Rockfield Sewer District with the Office of Rural Development, gave permission for the county to use her certification so that the grant would still be considered for funding. She said she would work with PMSI or alone so the Carroll Manor grant could proceed.

"All I see is confusion down the road about this (in the event that PMSI and Mendenhall work together)," Emerson said. He clarified that this is the third submission of the grant and PMSI has been paid in full for their services.

"They have not provided satisfactory services," he said. "Their contract can be terminated."

The county leaders accepted Henderson's certification letter for the purpose of proceeding with the grant process. They appointed Mendenhall and Associates grant administrator for the project. They did not terminate the PMSI contract.

Bridge bids

Highway supervisor Ramzi Awwad opened two bids for deck replacement on bridge #120 on 200N east of SR421, also known as the Crooked Road to Flora.

"I was hoping to receive a bid I was comfortable with today," Awwad said, "but unfortunately both amounts are significantly above the engineers' estimate."

The matter was tabled to give Awwad time to work with the low bidder to reduce the estimate. Awwad said the highway department could do some of the road work to save money in lieu of re-bidding the project, which would extend the time-line for the project later into the fall.

The issue will be addressed at a special commissioners' meeting June 9 at 8:30 a.m.